F is for Friday - 22 February 2019

F Is For Friday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Nomadic Worlds.

How it Works:

1. Credit the creator of this tag (Nomadic Worlds ) and link back.

2. Answer the four questions to the best of your ability.

3. Most important of all, enjoy yourself!

Questions:

F – Feature your latest book obsession (it doesn’t have to be your current read)

I – Indicate which book/s you are looking forward to reading this weekend.

F – Favorite quote of the week/day

F – Five things you’re happy or grateful for this week.

F- Feature your latest book obsession (it doesn't have to be your current read)

I'm not quite halfway through The Black Witch but I'm kind of obsessed with this series already! The next book looks especially good and I'm eager to finish listening to The Black Witch (audiobook) and check The Iron Flower out from the library!

I – Indicate which book/s you are looking forward to reading this weekend.

I'm going to try to finish this one by Monday which shouldn't be hard because I love this series so much and can't wait to see how it ends! Seriously, if you want a fantasy trilogy infused by stylized Asian culture, gorgeous clothing descriptions, and awesome monsters, you need to read this series!!

F – Favorite quote of the week/day

“People see what they expect to see,” he says sharply. “Through a filter of their own hatred and prejudice.”

 ― Laurie Forest, The Black Witch

This is true. Sometimes people are so steeped in their prejudices that they judge everyone by the actions and reputations of a few.  

F – Five things you’re happy or grateful for this week.

1.  My Beat the Algorithm ladies (always)

2. Surprise book mail

3. Sympathetic people who take pity on me when I fall on ice

4. My boyfriend
5. Takeout

Have a great weekend Bookdragons!

I Can't Wait for... Serious Moonlight!

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released.

One of my beat the algorithm ladies was reading this one a couple weeks ago and it sounds perfect for me...

Serious Moonlight

Standalone
By Jennifer Bennett
YA Contemporary Romance
eBook, Hardcover, 432 Pages
April 16, 2019 by Simon Pulse



Blurb
After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.

In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.

To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

{Release Week Blitz} THE CORNER OF HEARTBREAK AND FOREVER by Addison Cole

Today I'm part of the release week blitz of Addison Cole’s THE CORNER OF HEARTBREAK AND FOREVER! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever

Author: Addison Cole

Genre: Sweet Romance

About The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever:

Fall in love with Addison Cole's rich and romantic storytelling, and discover the magic of the Montgomerys. In The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever... 

Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters' drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again-ruggedly handsome Reed Cross. 

 Reed was one of Michigan's leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle's business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he's spent years trying to escape. 

 Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed's spell again-and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he's never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas... 

** The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you'd expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. 

If you're looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Embracing Her Heart, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa's sweet-romance pen name.

Get Your Copy Today!

KINDLE | iBOOKS | KOBO | NOOK | GPLAY | PAPERBACK

My Review:

This will teach me to read blurbs instead of blindly signing up for blog tours because of cute covers. A romance novel without sex scenes or swearing... oy boy. 

I will say, this book was "cute" and a quick, easy read that grabs the reader right away. I can see this book being perfect for the more innocent reader or the type of novel a mother could share with a teenage daughter. 

I do like the second chance romance trope and if you're like me that will draw you to this book. 

Overall, I should have read the fine print on this one because it's not for me. Clean books that focus heavily on romance instead of physical attraction aren't my style but it was an okay read. 

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟

2.5 of 5 Stars!

About Addison Cole:

SIGN UP for ADDISON'S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter

 DOWNLOAD the first book in Addison's Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers series free: READ, WRITE, LOVE AT SEASIDE here on Amazon.

 Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

 Addison is proud to be part of the Main Street Romance family, a partnership with bestselling authors Nancy Naigle, RaeAnne Thayne, and Chris Keniston, bringing sweet happy-ever-after love stories to the Main Street Romance community.

Join them at www.MainStreetRomance.com ~ open 24/7 just for you. Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.  

Connect with Addison:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google Plus | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon

 

Enter Addison’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish and currently hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

This week's TTT is about the books we love that others might not know about, those hidden gems with less than 2000 ratings on Goodreads.

1. Wall of Crosses by Baj Goodson

2. Like Never And Always by Ann Aguirre

3. Imber by Tyffany Hackett

4. Secrets of Bennett Hall by Jordan Elizabeth

5.Don't Kiss the Messenger by Katie Ray

6. Off the Ice by Julie Cross

7. Unknown by Wendy Higgins

8. Awaken by Skye Malone

9. Love Beyond Opposites by Molly E. Lee

10. Headless

(I know, this is a little self-promo on my part but you know how they say if you don't see the book you want on the shelf, write it? Headless is that book for me. It's the book of mine that I could keep rereading and forgot I've written)

What are some books you wish more people knew about?

Let me know in the comments or drop me a link to your TTT!

Happy Reading Bookdragons!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 18 February 2019

#IMWAYR is a weekly meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

What I Read Last Week:

I really enjoyed this as an audiobook, so much more than I enjoyed reading it in physical format!

 What I Am Reading Now:

I'm planning on finishing this one up tonight or tomorrow. It's a really great read and fits so well with the first two books!

I've been wanting to read this one for a while but around the time it came out there was some scandal or another so I put it off but I'm finally getting to it in audiobook and I'm really liking it!

Up Next:

The next book on my ARC stack, I'll be starting this one as soon as I finish On Thin Ice!

The Sunday Post - 17 February 2019

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

⚜ It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - 11 February 2019

⚜ Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Bookish Couples
⚜ ARC Review - Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins
⚜ I Can't Wait for... House of Salt and Sorrow

⚜ Bookish and Not So Bookish Thoughts - 14 February 2019
⚜ {Release Day Blitz} Battle of the Bulge by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

⚜F is for Friday - 15 February 2019
⚜ The Saturday Review - 16 February 2019

🍀 The usual Monday-Saturday Weekly Memes

🍀 Top Ten Books on Goodreads that NEED More Attention

🍀  The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever by Addison Cole (Book Review)

I just got this one on Friday, it's an ARC of Carrie Ann Ryan's YA Debut and it sounds really interesting! 

💀 This Week I Bookmarked: BookCrushin's IT’S PERSONAL SATURDAYS WITH KELLY & CHRISTY: OUR COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH BOOKSTAGRAM

I have way, way too many ARCs I'm supposed to have read in the next two weeks that I haven't even started...

The Saturday Review - 16 February 2019

The Saturday Review is a weekly meme hosted by me (Taylor Fenner's Bookish World) where fellow book bloggers and readers can share what books they've recently reviewed. 

Soul In Darkness by Wendy Higgins

Blurb:

People travel from afar to the small isle in the Aegean Sea hoping for a single glimpse of Princess Psyche. Their adoration for the mortal woman is so all-consuming that citizens begin to shower her with the very gifts and offerings they once left at the alter of Venus, goddess of love and beauty.

But gods are known for their jealousy.

Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts.

Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely.

Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.

Adult Historical Fantasy. Standalone.

My Review:

I feel conflicted about this one. I usually love this author's books, even going so far as to say I'd read and love anything she wrote. Then I read Soul in Darkness.

I'll start off by saying that even though I love mythology, I'm not familiar with the Cupid and Psyche myth. When I first heard about this book I was excited about the premise and I still think it's kind of a cool idea and I liked the setting, I just was not fond of Psyche. I found her really immature and annoying at times. In the beginning of the novel it gets old real quick that Psyche's thought wave is basically "everyone thinks I'm beautiful so I can get away with anything" and even though she claims to hate being treated that way she uses it to her advantage.

Despite this being by my favorite author I nearly DNF'd it a couple time, finally forcing myself to get to the halfway point before deciding to keep going or stop.

At times the story dragged and was a bit predictable but it does get better (more exciting) toward the end of the book which redeemed it enough for me to give it 3 stars.

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟

3 of 5 Stars!

Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle

Blurb:

Attempted murder, that's how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts. It seems like the only thing she has in common with Prince Young of Vires is their mutual discontent.

When her kingdom's attacked, Charlotte's parents renegotiate her hand in marriage to a handsome stranger with a sinister plan. With the people Charlotte loves dying around her, and her kingdom's future at stake, the only person she can turn to is the prince she betrayed. But, should she save her kingdom or her heart?

One must fall.

My Review:

As far as fantasies go, Kingdom Cold is relatively short. It switches between the perspectives of Princess Charlotte, her fiancé, and two other characters throughout the story. If you're looking for the basic requirements for an enjoyable read you'll find them: humor, adventure, action, and romance. 

But if you peel those things away and take a closer look at the story, you'll see a princess that acts like a child throwing a temper tantrum, a queen who is basically a rotten human being, and a prince who wants to prove his worth. 

The villain in this one almost gets overshadowed by Charlotte's mother's behavior toward her - a stark contrast to her father's indulgences.

Overall, I liked aspects of this book while at other times I just wanted to hurry up and get through it and the ending made me say "are you serious?" out loud.

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟

3 of 5 Stars!

The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1) by Roshani Chokshi

Blurb:

From New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi comes The Gilded Wolves, a novel set in Paris during a time of extraordinary change—one that is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous desires...

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. 

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood. 

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history—but only if they can stay alive.

My Review:

What can I say about this book? I absolutely loved it, from the first chapter on. I'd been skeptical about picking this one up since I haven't read anything by the author previously but this book was everything I could hope for and more.

Take the dynamic and diverse characters of Six of Crows place them in the city of lights, Paris, during the industrial revolution, toss in a plan to steal an irreplaceable artifact, sexual tension, and a forgotten sect out to start the beginning of the end of civilization as they knew it and you come out with this gem of a book. 

I loved the characters and shipped Laila and Severin something fierce while wondering about the Enrique/Zofia/Hypnos dynamic. Zofia has what sounds like Aspergers syndrome but around Enrique she blooms and then there is Hypnos who adds the humor. Will Enrique go for Hypnos or Zofia - or why not both?? 

Then add these characters to the glittering, gorgeous world of magic and the social climate of Paris in the late 1880s and wow... I cannot gush about this one enough. I can't wait for the next book so I can see what will happen next.

My Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5 of 5 Stars!